Ever since the shocking revelation -that Whitney Houston and her brother, Gary Houston, were sexually abused by their singer cousin, Dee Dee Warwick, broke- there is greater clarity about the struggles Whitney endured. In the new “Whitney” documentary film, Whitney’s loved ones confirmed the allegation, but now there are two relatives who are giving a tadbit unexpected reaction to the claims- Whitney’s mother, Cissy Houston, and her legendary cousin, Dionne Warwick (Dee Dee Warwick’s sister).
As we previously reported, Cissy and 59 other relatives and friends of Whitney were interviewed for the film. In the doc,’ Whitney’s close friend/assistant of many years, Mary Jones, revealed that Whitney painfully confided in her about having been sexually abused by older cousin, Dee Dee Warwick, between ages 7 and 9. Whitney’s brother, Gary Houston, also corroborated the allegations, when he revealed to “Whitney” documentary director, Kevin MacDonald, that he, too, was sexually abused by Dee Dee.
Cissy’s & Dionne Warwick Reveals Family Tension
For the first time, Cissy and Dionne are speaking out and they are CLEARLY pissed off. Now that the “Whitney” doc’ has hit theaters nationwide, the ladies have released a lengthy statement to People, denouncing the claims and also revealing apparent friction among the family. Cissy and Dionne want the world to know that even though Cissy’s own son, Gary, confirmed the sexual abuse, they still have doubts. They’re also outraged- not necessarily by the possibility that Whitney and Gary were sexually abused- but because an apparent family secret which makes them look dysfunctional, has been exposed…at least that’s what it seems, based on their statement. Peep what Cissy Houston said on behalf of her and her niece, Dionne Warwick:
“My niece Dionne Warwick and I make this statement to raise our voices above the din surrounding the release of the film, Whitney. Although the film is marketed as a Houston Family approved/endorsed project, neither my son, Michael, Dionne nor I knew of the allegations of abuse, the direction the film would take, until two days before the screening at Cannes. […]
We cannot…overstate the shock and horror we feel and the difficulty we have believing that my niece Dee Dee Warwick (Dionne’s sister) molested two of my three children.
I’ve been told—as justification for the invasive theme of this film—that Whitney was a public person and therefore the public has a right to know any and everything about her. I say, NO, she was a famous person … a singer, an actress, a quiet but generous philanthropist. She wasn’t running for office, asking for money or trying to win the right to run anyone’s life. Her job does not entitle the “public” to know every intimate detail of her life beyond what she herself revealed during her lifetime. Although she spoke about her struggle with drugs, the interventions, her daughter Krissi and issues in her marriage, she never PUBLICLY spoke about her father’s stealing from her or revealed any claim that she had been molested. IF she was molested I do not believe she would have wanted it to be revealed for the first time to thousands, maybe millions of people in a film.
I know the woman who was identified as Whitney’s “close confidante”. If she was my daughter’s “close confidante” it would seem she chose to betray Whitney’s confidence by publicizing rumors and hearsay. In any case Dionne, Michael and I do not know her the way we knew and loved Dee Dee Warwick. Dee Dee may have had her personal challenges but the idea that she would have molested my children is overwhelming and for us unfathomable. We cannot reconcile the Public’s need to know about Whitney’s life as justification for invasion of her privacy or the charge against Dee Dee, a charge which neither Whitney nor Dee Dee is here to deny, refute or affirm. Neither I, Dionne, nor my son Michael who was very close to his sister, and in the film is VERY candid about their drug use, has ever heard these allegations; we have never heard anything remotely connected to the crimes charged against Dee Dee in the film. How can that be fair to my daughter, to Dee Dee, or to our family?
I spent many years in recording studios (sometimes with Dionne and/or Dee Dee) where I earned my living. I also went “on the road” with my group The Sweet Inspirations to try to help provide a good life for my family BUT my children always came first in my heart and in my life. When I was away they did not stay with four or five different families; they stayed at home where their longtime babysitter, Phyllis, or my dear friend Bae or their father took care of them. In all the years I traveled Dee Dee, who was 21 years older than Whitney, NEVER BABYSAT for them.”
Thoughts ILOSM family?
